Please Never Let Me Go
by sakurak504
Summary: Levi thinks that Petra deserves better and decides to lie that he doesn't love her. What happens after makes him realize that he needs her. Rivetra


_Yo! I have another inspiration! I know it's Rivetra week, but I won't be participating. Well, unless these count. My stories aren't going with the daily prompts though so nope. Thanks for all your support for my weird as hell stories!_

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Shingeki no Kyojin._**

* * *

Petra skipped around happily, thinking about her precious captain. She hummed cheerfully and cleaned up the dinner plates that the Special Ops Squad hadn't bothered to clean up.

She couldn't wait to finish and go back to her room. Well, their room. She and Levi lived together and no one minded. There was nothing against a subordinate dallying with a superior anyway. As long as both were okay with it, then it was absolutely fine. After cleaning up the kitchen, she walked upstairs with a bounce in her step.

"Levi," Petra called out cheerfully, opening the door. He wasn't there. That was strange and she walked back out.

_Hmm, I wonder where he could be?_

Looking around, she saw Eld. "Hey Eld! Do you know where Heichou is?" Petra asked.

"Umm maybe he's on the roof? I saw him head there. What are you going to do, Petra?" Eld asked her teasingly.

"No, I'm just looking for him," Petra replied before heading towards the roof. Lately, Levi had closed himself off towards her. It startled her, but she didn't voice it.

Once on the roof, she spotted a dark figure. "Levi?"

Levi grunted in reply. Something was wrong. When it came to her, he would turn around, smile a little, and greet her with a kiss or hug.

"What's wrong? You've been really quiet lately," Petra asked, reaching her hand out to hold his. He immediately pulled back away from her and her hand froze, burning with rejection.

"Levi?" Petra was really worried now. He never withdrew from her hand. She looked at him, bewildered, and waited for him to speak, his rejection cutting through her heart.

"Listen, Petra. I know I told you I loved you," Petra's heart froze at the past tense of love, "but feelings do change. I am no exception."

"You don't... love me anymore?" Petra's voice cracked and she could feel her eyes beginning to get moist. She would never show it. She was a soldier! She wasn't going to let this bother her.

Or was she?

"No, I don't," Levi said coldly, looking her straight in the eyes.

Petra was silent for a minute before standing up. "I see... I'll go back to my room then. My former room." She walked away, heart cracking and tears beginning to trickle down her face. Once she reached her room, she buried her face in her pillow and cried.

* * *

Levi was ashamed. He was her superior, so much older than her. She deserved someone so much better than him. Someone who could make her happy. He decided that even if it would break his heart, he would let her go. He would relinquish her from his hold and let her be free.

When he told her that he didn't love her, his heart screamed. _Petra, don't believe it! It's all a lie! I love you! I do!_

But the look she gave him after was full of sorrow, a look of unrequited love. She walked away and he wanted to shout after her and tell her that he truly loved her.

The weeks that followed weren't so pleasant. Petra regarded him as nothing but her captain, flat out ignoring him sometimes. The tension between them was so high that no one in the Survey Corps wanted to ask. But he knew that she was deeply hurt. He saw her crying sometimes. He even heard her. Still, he clung to his resolve that he was too terrible for her.

Levi lounged in his chair, drinking coffee. She hadn't brought him coffee since that day, and he missed it. She always put the blend of sugar and cream right so that it tasted delicious. The one he was drinking tasted like shit. He sighed.

A knock sounded at the door. "Come in," Levi drawled. Eld opened the door and stepped in.

"What is it, Eld?"

Eld fidgeted nervously before working up the nerve. "Captain, what happened between you and Petra? She hasn't been herself lately, and the three of us caught her crying."

Levi was quiet for a while before he spoke up. He did trust Eld with military tactics, but not with personal feelings.

"Was she crying about me?" Levi took another sip of his coffee nonchalantly but his mind raced, thinking about her.

"Who else would she pour her heartbreak over?" Eld asked.

After some contemplation, Levi decided to tell him. "Well, you know I love her. But I feel selfish for taking her future away. She deserves a better man by her side. I'm cold, rude, and foul-mouthed. She deserves so much better."

"Captain," Eld said. "She deserves no one better than you. She loves you. You love her. She'll never stop loving you. Don't cut away fate." With that, Eld left the room.

Levi thought about it. He did love her. He didn't want to hurt her. But pride was pride. He did nothing and Petra continued to be cold towards him. But as he looked at her, he noticed that she was getting skinnier, the light in her eyes snuffed out. One day, he was inside his office doing paperwork when Eren burst in.

"Captain!" Eren panted.

"What the fuck do you want? Can't you see I'm busy?" Levi spat.

"Petra fainted and her skin is burning!" Eren cried, panicking.

Levi immediately stood up and followed Eren. He was led to the bedroom that he and Petra had shared. The entire squad, some of the former 104th Trainee Corps, and Hanji were there. They all stood aside for him when he entered the room. Hanji was placing a cool cloth on her forehead. It seemed that she was unconscious.

"Hanji, what the hell is going on?" Levi asked.

"She passed out while delivering something to your office. She's running a really high fever. It's probably contagious too. All of you should get out so you don't get sick," Hanji replied.

Everyone except for Hanji and Levi left, leaving them to tend to Petra. Petra panted and breathed quickly, sweat running down her face, making her bangs stick to her face.

_Petra..._ Levi reached out and brushed her hair back from her face. Her skin burned, about as hot as Titan flesh, if not hotter. She stirred in her delirium, moaning out.

"Hanji, I'll take care of her." Levi continued to brush her hair back and wipe the sweat from her face.

"You sure, Levi?" Hanji looked at him. He looked tired. He nodded and she left.

Levi refreshed the cloth on her forehead and made sure it was cold. It wasn't even two minutes before it was hot again. He kept changing it. She muttered in her fever.

"Levi..." she moaned out loud before tossing and turning. A single tear escaped her eye and drifted down her cheeks. The ice around his heart cracked and he brushed the tear away with his finger, the coldness of his hands soothing her burning skin. By the next hour, he didn't have to change the cloth every two minutes.

She was still quite delirious and she moaned in her sleep. He knew that she was having nightmares that involved him, plaguing her sleep and robbing her of rest. He hesitated before weaving his cold fingers through hers. He continued stroking her face, brushing the tears that slipped down her cheeks. He felt terrible, knowing that the reason she had been so tired lately was because of him.

Instead of brushing the tears away with his fingers, he opted to kiss them away. His cool lips brushed against her still burning skin. She seemed to calm down a bit more and she rested more peacefully. By nighttime, her fever had gone down, but she was still unconscious. He sat her up and forced her to drink water, making sure she didn't choke on it. He could feel himself falling asleep. He lay down beside her, holding her against him with her head tucked under his chin.

"Goodnight, Petra," he whispered softly to her and kissed her forehead gently.

* * *

Petra woke up in a daze. Her head hurt and she felt a little warm. Compared to before, she felt a lot better though. She'd had nightmares for a while but they had mysteriously disappeared after a little while.

Those nightmares... She shuddered thinking about them. She remembered begging for Levi to be there, but he hadn't been there. _Oh yeah, he doesn't love me anymore..._ She sighed and stretched a little, nearly hitting the person beside her.

It was Levi. Why was Levi there? Didn't he tell her that he no longer loved him? And yet, here he was, an arm wrapped around her, fingers woven between her own, and her head tucked under his chin. Then she remembered. During her fever, she had floated in and out of consciousness. She had felt cold fingers against her face, cold lips brushing against her skin, tenderly taking care of her. It couldn't have been Levi could it?

He had told her he didn't love her. And yet, all those actions contradicted that very statement. Petra was so very confused. Then, he stirred and blinked.

"Levi?" Petra said softly.

"Hmm..." Levi groaned and further buried his face into her hair. She hesitatingly squeezed his hand and touched his cheek. Was she still dreaming? If she was, this was a cruel dream.

"This is a dream isn't it? You don't love me," Petra whispered.

That woke him up. "I do love you. I love you more than anything in this world, more than my life itself." Levi looked at her squarely in the eyes.

"If you do, why? Why did you do that?" she could feel tears pooling in her eyes.

"Because you deserve someone so much better. So much better than the crude person I am. I'm sorry Petra. I really am. For causing you so much pain. That just tells you that you deserve someone who won't break your heart," Levi stared at her, bracing himself for the worst.

Instead, she softly stroked his cheek. "I don't care. I love you. Is it that hard to believe?" He shook his head. "Then Levi, please, if you love me, never let me go. Never let me leave your side. Promise me."

"I promise, Petra."

* * *

Levi kept his promise. He stayed with her till the very end. They stayed together through the defeat of the Titans, through their lives. When they had gray hair and wrinkles, he kept his promise. They died together peacefully, sleeping with arms around each other, hearts connected.

Levi learned to never let the one he loved go.

* * *

_A/N: So how was it? I decided to take a break from writing essays. Well, most of my stories involve people comatose or something of the sort. I think that's the best way to write fluff because they truly realize how important the other person is to them. Please leave a review! Love y'all!_

_Sakura-chan_


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